Childhood Friends
by AwdurNatPat
Summary: When she first met him, he was a little boy her age. Brown messy hair, warm brown eyes, mischievous smile, dirty face, scraped knees, shabby pants and easy smile. A few years later, she spotted him from a distance, easily recognizing his face. (...) Looking at him, she couldn't believe he'd ever grow up. She wished she hadn't already. At least not that soon.
1. Prologue

_When she first met him, he was a little boy her age. Brown messy hair, warm brown eyes, mischievous smile, dirty face, scraped knees, shabby pants and easy smile. _

* * *

Before the accident.

Before shutting out the world.

Before the fear...

She and her family travelled through the small villages farther away from the capital that belonged to the small kingdom Arendelle.

Anna and Elsa were both very young and this was the first time they were so far away from the castle, from the ports, from the sea. Not that their journey meant travelling great distances or during a large amount of time: Arendelle was truthfully very small. But to children of such young age, it was almost like visiting another world.

They arrived at Burgess in the middle of the third day of their travel.

Her parents allowed her and Anna to go play with the other children after the two sisters promised not to wander too far into the forest and not to get separated from each other.

- Don't worry, mommy! Me and Elsa are glued forever! – beamed Anna, speaking with her baby voice.

The young queen smiled at her younger child and then turned to the older one.

- Take care of your sister, Elsa. And remember to not use... – she let the sentence hang in the air.

One of the five guards accompanying them was chosen to watch over the princesses and then the two sisters finally left, hand in hand, looking for adventure, mysteries and new friends.


	2. I: Meeting Jackson Overland

It was a small village surrounded by a large forest, though not one of the smallest they had visited. There were a dozen houses in its centre, and then others, spread farther away.

The two sisters had left their parents at one of the edges of the village, which was stretched irregularly and a bit long despite its small size and round appearance, and were now strolling aimlessly, a silent guard trailing behind.

Many adults were walking around, clearing the paths between the houses (which weren't really streets), and talking to each other. Most seemed very excited with their visitors and some less subtle ones even gestured to the princesses and their guard, smiling amicably to the two children. Even though she was used to being the centre of attention around grown-ups, Elsa still felt a bit uncomfortable, but decided to ignore it and be friendly to everyone. Her little sister, however, replied every wave and smile twice as enthusiastically.

Anna laughed for the third time as she swung her right arm with her sister's left one.

- Elsa, where are our new friends? – she asked while looking around, excited with the prospect of finding a companion with whom she would play and have fun.

In fact, they had yet to come across a single child, which was very strange, specially when thinking how small a village it was. Where could they be? In their homes? By chance none was around the centre of the village right now?

However, before Elsa could even attempt to answer:

- Uuuuuuha! – a little boy appeared running from nowhere and jumped on top of a big pile of brown and yellow leaves that had just been gathered not too far from the two sisters.

The boy began rolling and making little angels on the carpet of leaves, laughing and wallowing, as if he didn´t have a care in the world. All this while ignoring exclamations of disapproval and the wet earth beneath the leaves.

The two princesses stared wide-eyed at the sudden arrival for a few seconds before a booming voice was heard coming somewhere behind them:

- JACKSON OVERLAND!

At the sound of the voice, the boy immediately got up, ran to the nearest tree and started agilely climbing it, seemingly, without thinking twice.

Anna gasped. Even being so young she knew very well that climbing trees was a very dangerous thing. Equally worried, Elsa let go of her sister's hand so she would be prepared to use her powers if the boy accidently fell.

A large woman appeared from behind one of the nearest wooden houses and made her way to the scattered leaves and former pile. But when she finally arrived, with her angry stomping and a scowl on her face, 'Jackson Overland' was already well hidden between the higher branches of a tree with orange and brown foliage.

Elsa feared the boy would be denounced by some adults who had watched the whole scene but, to her surprise, most just sighed heavily and proceeded with their work with a few actually chuckling to themselves.

The owner of the frightful voice, brought her big hands to her hips and started tapping her foot impatiently.

-I _know _you're here, you devilish little rascal! – shouted the woman, scaring Anna, who hid herself behind Elsa – I was wondering when would you decide to come out and do today's mischievous business… I mean: it's long past lunchtime! Everyone around here knows Jackson Overland can't hold still that long – she continued, examining the area in search for said brunet – If you weren't the son of the sweet soul that is your mother, you would already be black and red with all the spanking that you actually deserve! Appear, you rogue!

Elsa was shocked with the attitude and language of this woman. Never before had she witnessed such aggressive scene. All adults she knew were always nice and educated to her. However, it was also true Elsa had never truly made something wrong… at least not purposefully, which was what was being implied.

-… and just to top it all the royal family is visiting! We're all _very _busy and trying to give a good impression! We don't need a rat like you running around doing devilish pranks!

Elsa's young mind was stunned when she finally realized this loud woman hadn´t actually _noticed _the two little princesses belonging to the royal family she was trying so hard to impress were right behind her watching and listening every not-so-impressive movement and word she made and said. Or maybe she was mistaken… For Arendelle's sake, they had an uniformed guard with them! How could someone be so unaware of their surroundings?

- COME HERE, brat, or else, when you finally appear, I'll take you to the forest and give you to the wildest wolves there are to be eaten alive and awake!

Anna buried her face in her sister's small back and whimpered softly. Elsa was seriously beginning to consider using her powers on this person.

After this threat followed many others mixed with many… unkind words, while the scary woman attentively watched the terrain upfront, looking for said 'brat'.

Fortunately, Elsa was spared most ranting and verbal violence since the quiet guard decided it was pertinent to cover the princess' ears, gesture which she copied with her sister. Then, the guard subtly urged the princess to abandon the area, but Elsa was too curious, as much as she supposed Anna was, about the boy's fate.

She searched for the boy, but wasn't able to find him despite having seen which tree he had climbed… Which meant neither would the witch-like-woman.

Finally said person, already red and puffing, shouted a bunch of unreadable words to the air, before resigning herself to leave the matter on hold for now and taking off in furious steps.

Both her and the guard let their hands fall to their sides.

Looking around, Elsa noticed some people looking in her direction with embarrassed looks but besides that, most just seemed to have ignored the event. Maybe it was something usual… She hoped not.

These thoughts were quickly forgotten when she heard a thud of something falling from some distance of the ground. She momentarily feared for the boy, however her worry was quickly cast aside when she realized it wasn't the sound of a clumsy fall but rather of a skillful landing.

Turning around, she found the boy looking right at her. This was the first time, since before he just passed by her without any kind of acknowledgement.

The boy was wearing simple shabby clothes, a bit large for his size. His brown hair was a mess with leaves sticking out of it, his face and hands were covered with dirt, and recent bruises were visible here and there. He was observing the two sisters with a pair of curious and intelligent eyes.

He smiled a mischievous smile.

-Hi, I'm Jack! Wanna play?


	3. II: Befriending a Mischievous Charmer

_Elsa had to admit she surprised herself._

_In the past three days she had slowly gotten used to the unkempt children she played with, being mostly boys the unkempt ones. However, it had, and she was ashamed of it, initially disgusted her. She was so used to clean stone roads, brilliant mirror-like-floors, immaculate porcelain utensils, beautiful delicate attires. She didn´t expect things to be so different with the other children who lived on mountains or near forests. Those some called 'folk's children'. For the first time her young but clever mind truly accessed the differences._

_Anna, of course, totally ignored the situation and at the end of the first day was as unkempt as any other kid of those parts. This earned her a light lecture from their mother, who simply made them wear worn clothes, that could get dirty, the following days._

_Elsa no longer felt weird around other children for having more expensive clothing and being unable to play freely since she was afraid of getting them filthy. She could now properly enjoy herself with her sister and other children._

_But it wasn't instantaneous. She started getting used to it yes, but she still grimaced at the sight of a boy touching fungus and mud with his bare hands or shoeless feet covered with earth and grass._

_That's why she didn´t immediately understand why she was fine with Jackson Overland, who was covered in dirt from head to toe._

_But as the day went by, she finally got it: Jack was a charmer, as simple as that. _

* * *

The following hours until the end of the day went by in the blink of an eye.

Jack, as he told them to call him, was a fun and mischievous boy who was unable to stay in the same place or doing the same thing for too long and always found something else to do and amuse himself with.

Bold and straight to the point since their first meeting, he happily dragged his two new friends along the village that afternoon, somehow managing to make them laugh every two seconds. It was something she was quick to notice: no matter how much teasing he did, he always ended up escaping trouble or somehow having the victim burst into laugher.

Jack showed them the village, presented some children and 'tolerable grown-ups', exhibited rabbit holes, began a game in which there was chasing and hiding that he called 'hunt' - him being the hunter and the other children preys, climbed trees, pranked and freighted the daylights out of the two princesses - mainly Elsa, piggybacked Anna, revealed his 'hideouts' to them, made them escape with him from the scary loud big woman, taught them how to do forward rolls and cartwheels, showed them all the funny and silly faces he knew… He even managed to convince Elsa of climbing a tree with him, uncovering a rebellious part of herself that she never knew she had – well she just went up a few branches (just high enough to be able to see the first nest Jack found) and quickly came back down when Anna started to get bored down there and attempted to follow, but it still was a big achievement on his part.

Never before had Elsa had such a fulfilling and fun day. She had never imagined that there were so many ways to play and fun things to do even without magic. Many times, she was tempted to use and show it to her strange new friend, but she knew her mother wouldn´t allow it, and she always had a reason behind this kind of demands.

It turned out there weren't that many children in Burgess. One of the few adults that were approved by Jack explained Elsa that the village was very young. Its people had come from different parts of Arendelle and decided to build their own village in that place. Most families there had started from scratch. But some families were young and others older, some arrived and settled there sooner and others later. Therefore no residing families shared the same blood and the children were of very different ages, most being almost grown-up or just babies. Few were the ones around Jack and Elsa's age. Nevertheless, the two sisters still made many friendships that afternoon, having Jack as a sociable intermediary.

At some point in time, when it was starting to get late, Jack suddenly turned to them and asked out of the blue:

- Wanna meet my family?

Anna, already used to the abrupt questions and ideas that came out of the boy's mouth, nodded eagerly:

- Yes! We wanna, we wanna!

Elsa, who wasn't a ball of compressed energy like Anna and found it a little hard to keep up with the enthusiastic boy, didn't answer immediately. Still she had that natural childhood impulsivity and was too young to actually ponder her choices, and easily let her curiosity win her over. She ended up nodding her approval.

Jack grinned and grabbed Elsa's right and Anna's left hands.

- Let's go then!


	4. III: From Victims to Guests

Elsa was starting to think this wasn't such a great idea.

After she had given her approval, Jack had grabbed the two sisters and led them to the village's borders, passed the last house and entered nonchalantly in the forest.

The sky was yet to darken, leaving both sisters unafraid for a long time, but Elsa was beginning to worry, with Anna, perhaps because she was younger, remaining clueless.

Jack on the other hand, was completely at ease. He skipped forward and easily dodged obstacles while humming a song none of the princesses knew. Occasionally he even sent them, who were slightly behind, a glance, and – worryingly - smirked.

She then remembered her promise to her parents of not going too far into the forest and too far from the village's centre… However, she was visiting a friend's home and not purposefully wandering out of limits…

She settled for that.

* * *

Elsa's feet were starting to hurt now. It seemed like all the delightful but energy-expensive activities done that afternoon were starting to get to her. And the tall trees surrounding them seemed to be getting creepier by the second. Time was passing very slowly too.

Then, Jack got quiet and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and said very seriously:

- We're lost.

Elsa felt herself shudder and then just stood there, paralyzed, her mind blank and terrified with the conscience of how much trouble they were in. What would they do? How to get back? No one would be able to find them! Evening was also approaching… And what kind of dangerous creatures could come out in the dark!?

Anna didn´t react. She actually didn´t get it. She felt safe as long as she had her big sister nearby and didn´t really have any sense of danger in the moment. However, she did feel confused with such a statement and an instant later started opening her mouth to voice her questions, but was interrupted with a burst of laugh coming from the boy in front of her.

Jack laughed for some time, made remarks about Elsa's shocked face and teased her, who was the big sister, for being more terrified than little Anna, leaving Elsa too speechless to react and the younger sister even more confused.

He ended up saying it was all just a joke and moved on.

This happened _three _times.

Truth be told, in the first time, Elsa was more relieved that they weren't really lost than anything else. This adding to her natural calm and forgiving personality caused her to ignore Jack's teasing and quickly forget the episode.

- Hum… I think we're heading the wrong way…

In the second time, she reacted with suspicion and anxiety and when he broke down laughing she felt more annoyed than relieved.

- J-Jack! - she grumbled, her voice threatening but trembling a bit out of annoyance and former fright.

Anna, who had decided to just laugh along with Jack since she wasn't getting what there could be to fear, looked a bit startled at Elsa for the sudden rise in volume.

- Chill out, Elsa – he grinned mischievously – Am just teasing you!

- Me too – quickly explained Anna, not understanding the problem but not wanting to risk her sister being upset at her.

Unknown to Anna, she acted as a peacemaker, her innocent sentence cooling downElsa before she could actually get mad.

Jack ended this second episode, recovering the sisters' hands that he had previously held and proceeding with their walk through the woods.

Yet, some time later, Jack said:

- We should have been there already… I guess we turned to the way of the Wolves' Home instead of the way of Overland's Home…

- Jack… - Elsa said in a warning but unsure tone.

He chuckled and then said:

-Alright, right. Just kidding. I'll stop…

Elsa wasn't convinced.

- Promise, worrywart - he sticked out his tongue at her.

Elsa didn't know if he was just teasing her or – possibly - masking his fear of being lost, but she did know if it wasn't her tiredness and her promise to her mother, Jack would have a frozen tongue right now. Elsa wasn't easily irritated but Jack could be really annoying and right now he wasn´t making any effort to remain on her good side.

Then they returned to the quiet travelling with Jack's light humming the only thing to be heard. That and those few sentences of his that casually mentioned the terrifying wolves and supernatural creatures habiting those woods. They got Anna unsecure and scared for the first time. But Elsa's glares towards the prankster quickly fixed that.

* * *

When she finally decided to ask where exactly the boy was going, Jack let go of their hands and ran ahead with such energy that even her could have doubted if he had really spent the afternoon running, climbing and playing around.

The two princesses followed, Elsa noticing that even Anna was looking a bit less energetic. She also knew her sister was probably trying to hide it – after many experiences of going to bed earlier than she wanted to she started concealing her tiredness, which was 'not healthy', as their mother had said. However, this was the second time she rubbed her eyes obviously out of sleepiness.

This visit had to be a quick one or they would fall asleep while returning… This if they ever came upon the house.

After a few seconds of running, they found themselves in the edge of a small clearing.

Jack didn't stop and went straight in the direction of a small wooden house located some distance to their right.

The cottage was built leaning against a small hill behind it with many trees covering its sides. The clearing itself was barely twice the size of the house. Actually both the clearing and the house could have gone unnoticed if not for Jack knowing and directing them to the right way.

Jack got to the house and burst the door open.

-I'm home! – he shouted, Elsa and Anna stopping running a few steps behind him.

A moment later, a shrill cry was heard coming from somewhere inside the house.

-Jackson Overland! – said a motherly demanding voice – How many times have I told you to knock first and then enter the house _silently_!?

A woman in her late twenties appeared from a door on their left, a baby on her arms.

-You woke her again! – reprimanded the mother in a hushed tone.

Elsa was surprised that Jack actually looked guilty.

Jack. Looked. Guilty.

It didn´t make sense.

The baby was crying nonstop and the mother tried to calm her little child down with swaying and making soothing sounds.

-Shhh, it's okay, little princess.

Jack quickly ran around his mother to look at his little sister's face, which was over his mother's shoulder.

-Hi, Emma! – he greeted happily.

She kept crying.

Jack remained unfazed and reached out to touch her curled hand with a finger.

-Your old bro is home. – he said soothingly.

The volume of her crying significantly decreased and she grabbed the obtrusive and familiar finger with her warm little ones. Within seconds she was quiet and looking intently at Jack.

The bonding siblings' mother sighed heavily and turned her head to the two sisters:

- How he does that still surpasses me – she confessed, smiling amicably.

Elsa was surprised. She didn´t think Jack's mother had noticed them, so busy trying to calm down her baby.

- Cuuute! – shrieked Anna.

- Ssh! – demanded Elsa.

Anna covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide and embarrassed.

The other two females glanced in the baby's direction, but little Emma was too caught up with her brother's words and silly faces.

-Feeling better? – asked Jack with a toothy smile.

His baby sister's answer was simply:

-Daaaa… - before contentedly shoving his finger in her mouth.

**Note: **Named Jack's sister Emma just because saw many doing so and liked the name. Information about this fic in profile. Thanks for the reviews


	5. IV: Loyalty, Scolding and Goodbyes

_-Yes, Your Majesty – he politely answered in his quiet voice, bowing - I'll protect them with my life if needed be. You can rest assured. I won't let the princesses out of my sight for even half a second._

_Then he placed himself behind the two excited sisters, ready to operate as an escort._

_The queen approached the guard and addressed him once again: _

_-Oh, Sebastian… Always so serious – she said in a playful tone, assuming right after a solemn attitude – But I thank you. You're the most trustworthy man between our safeguards. I'm leaving my two little flowers in your care._

* * *

Sebastian Horn was feeling distraught for the first time in his life.

He was a reliable guard in his mid-thirties that devoted himself to serving and protecting the royal family. He was a calm and loyal man that always fulfilled his duties with acuteness and dexterity. To him, a small mistake would be a huge blow to his honor and fidelity.

And he had just lost sight of the two and only princesses of Arendelle, who were under his care to be looked after and defended if any kind of harm came their way.

Never before had he done such a terrible sin and this mission being the most important of his life just enforced the idea of complete failure.

Right now he was looking everywhere for the two princesses while memories of his conversation with the queen played repeatedly in his head making his face grow paler by the second.

'_But I thank you. You're the most trustworthy man between our safeguards. I'm leaving my two little flowers in your care.'_

His normally expressionless face formed into a scowl, reflecting a small part of his frustration, guilt and utter desperation. They didn´t seem to be with any of the other kids, or in the houses, or up in the surrounding trees like he had caught princess Elsa climbing before… And how startling had that been! If he had the authority and right to do so he would have shoved aside the little brat that had led the princess to do something so dangerous… would have shoved him aside for that and other situations. The boy was definitely a bad influence. What if he dragged the two little princesses…! What if… Oh, the forest… Could they…? And the sky was also starting to darken…

- Princesses? - repeated a scrawny boy a few years older than princess Elsa that was next to the adult to which he had directed the question – They've gone visiting Jack's home.

His expression lighted a bit with hope starting to grow in his loyal heart.

- Where is it? – he asked the little boy in an impatient and eager voice.

The boy hesitated momentarily due to the sudden emotion in the tall man's voice but ended up saying:

- Some minutes West. There's a shortcut through the forest…. I can take you there… Sir.

Sebastian's anxiety was such that he even forgot to correct the boy about the 'Sir' part.

- Do so then.

The boy waved to the adult he had been talking to saying he would be back in a minute and walked into the forest, the passionate guard in tow.

* * *

After they finally managed to put Emma to sleep and Jack recovered his finger, they moved to the small dining room, that was also the kitchen, and proper introductions were made.

Jack's mother seemed a little surprised that the two little girls in her humble house were actually princesses of Arendelle, but didn´t overreact whatsoever, remaining her kind and patient motherly self.

Anna then started asking questions after questions, meaning: everything that came to mind.

- Why do you live so far from the village's centre? Why is your house so small? Where is Jack's father? How old is baby Emma? Why does Emma sleep so much? Why did she start eating Jack's finger? Can she talk? She's so small! – babbled Anna, her tiredness being overshadowed by her curiosity and enthusiasm.

Most questions were really about Emma. Elsa deduced the reason for the baby girl to be the main topic of Anna's curiosity was due to the fact that her little sister wasn't used to see children smaller than her. At least not so up close.

- Far? Our house is just two minutes away from the village – said Jack's mother with a puzzled look – she was able to grasp just the first question. Then something akin to realization lighted her features.

She sent a disbelieving and shocked look at Jack:

- Jackson Overland! Don't tell me you tricked these two little ladies into wandering around the woods to scare them!

Elsa gasped, but didn´t have the opportunity to speak her mind since Jack's mother got ahead of her and started scolding her son.

It was incredible how close Elsa was to feel pity towards Jack with that look of puppy-dog-being-scolded even thinking how he had toyed them around the forest.

Anna's reaction to Jack's scolding was bringing her hands to her hips in a similar manner they had seen the loud woman do some hours ago and in an harsh voice said:

- That's a no-no, you devilish boy! – while shaking her head in a serious disapproving way.

The scene was so hilarious that after a second of surprised looks the other three burst out laughing.

Jack's mother, however, was quick to regain her composure when the thought that they may wake baby Emma went through her mind.

- Shh! – she pleaded to the more uncontrollable kids – You'll wake Emma!

For some reason, that just made them laugh harder.

* * *

Time went by in a flash at the Overland's.

Anna made questions and talked about herself and her family, Elsa talked and laughed while making sure Anna said nothing about her ice powers, Jack's mother made them a delicious tea, listened and answered patiently to questions, and Jack revealed his skills at moving his ears, chatted about that joyful day – curiously omitting tricks and such – and kept drinking cups of tea as if there was no tomorrow.

- What? I like this stuff! – was his answer to Elsa's incredulous look.

The two of them felt so at home that when Jack's mother asked when was someone coming to pick them up since it was already past sunset, they – mostly Elsa – gave her surprised and then worried looks that clearly spoke for them of their obliviousness about the matter.

Right then, loud knocks were heard coming from the wooden entrance of the cottage and made them all jump a bit for its abruptness.

Jack's mother quickly made her way to the door, the three children closely behind.

However, the door was swiftly open by a robust man in uniform before Jack's mother could do so.

- Princess Anna and princess Elsa – he said in a relieved tone after noticing the two little girls.

Elsa and Anna stared at the guard that had been chosen to escort them that day and whom they had completely forgotten about.

Sebastian walked into the house and in the sisters' direction, unconsciously ignoring the other living beings present.

- Are the princesses alright? Have Your Highnesses been hurt during my absence? – Sebastian asked worriedly, kneeling before them so he could better measure their condition – I deeply apologize for leaving your side, my Princesses.

Anna was quick to say they were fine and that the guard didn´t need to worry.

Elsa was surprised that the man was so more talkative than before but her thoughts were quickly reverted to something else:

- When and how exactly did we get separated? – she quietly wondered, speaking more to herself than anything else.

- Ah – started Jack, capturing the attention of all of them - I outwitted the grumpy guy – he smirked seeming to be quite proud of it – A bit after tree climbing, I think. But, hey, not my fault he took this much time to figure it all out! – it sounded too much like teasing.

Jack's mother placed her hand in her head and sighed heavily with her eyes closed.

Elsa made a baffled expression.

Anna giggled.

Sebastian felt like snapping the boy's neck

Jack remained victorious and boastful, smiling all pleased with himself… At least until he sensed danger coming from the big guard that was sending him murderous glares.

- I'm gonna check on Emma – he announced spontaneously.

But couldn´t resist taunting the poor man a little bit more by passing right in front of him.

It came with a price.

The guard attempted to smack the boy in the head but Jack was attentive and dodged propelling himself upfront. He grinned contentedly. However, a small miscalculation made him lose his balance and he landed heavily with his chin on the hard wooden floor.

- Ouch! – exclaimed the two sisters in unison.

* * *

The two princesses spent the night in Burgess, sleeping with their parents in a large tent mounted specifically for them.

Sebastian had admitted his self proclaimed failure to the king and queen, whom quickly forgave him due to both princesses being safe and happy. But the strict guard didn´t think his sin could be forgiven so easily and ended up punishing himself by sleeping without any cover in the cold and lonely night. The royal couple let him be with the condition that would be a one-night-only punishment. Like this, the loyal man's honor was somehow mended without any major occurrences.

Anna and Elsa's small wandering in the woods, considering they were alright and had just gone visiting someone, wasn´t also given too much importance, much to the relief of the older sister who disliked disappointing her beloved parents.

They had said their goodbyes to the Overlands – including little Emma, who was awaken by her brother's fall – after Jack's chin was tended and Sebastian gave the mother and child a quick apology – though he didn´t look once in Jack's direction.

Jack, as his mother had said, had been lucky that he got only a bloody bruise on his chin and nothing truly serious. But Elsa still felt worried, the sight of so much blood making her a little faint. Anna covered her eyes but ended up uncovering them after being told it was just a scratch, nothing serious, by Jack himself. Still, she refused to look at his face for some time.

The true parting, however, took place in the following morning.

Anna and Elsa waved and shouted to their new friends from their carriage until they were completely out of view, an enthusiasm matched with that of Jack and some other children.

The royal family's journey continued for another week and then they returned to the familiar warm palace next to the sea.

Things quickly went back to what they were, all of them returning to their everyday lives.

For the two princesses, time passed in blissful days, both playing and having fun to their hearts content…

And then _it_ happened.

* * *

**Note: **I bet most of you completely forgot about the 'quiet guard'. In case you're wondering: no, this isn´t the end of this fic. Thank you for the reviews


	6. V: Childhood Isn't Coming Back

It had been an accident.

She made a mistake and her sister paid for it.

She had to stay away for everyone's sake, for Anna's sake and for her own sake as well.

Many years had passed since it happened and she had locked herself in her room. Now, she was a twelve years old young lady and her powers, which she tried so hard to conceal, seemed to be getting stronger instead of otherwise.

She couldn´t control them.

And she knew she probably would never be able to.

Anna still knocked at her door daily, though not as many times as before.

She had mixed feelings about it: she just wanted Anna to quit already so both of them would stop hurting as much, but she also desperately wished her little sister never gave up on her.

Anna had once again knocked just some minutes ago and, as always, was answered with only silence.

Elsa cringed as she could almost see her sad and disappointed look behind the door, her turning around and walking away in a dejected manner.

Unintentionally, she knew how lonely her sister was by hearing single phrases when meals were brought to her or when some maids passed near her room by chance.

'Our little princess is so bored…'

'…locked in this palace without any other children to play w…'

'…ing and queen are too busy, and even if they could, nothing can replac…'

'…oor princess Anna, always being rejected by her si…'

And none of the information she managed to get was reassuring. It just made her feel more guilty, sad and useless.

Thus her carefree and happy days were long gone and almost forgotten. It didn´t help that every time she dared to glance back to the past, that accident would happen all over again in her mind.

Elsa got up from her seated position against her room's door and made her way to the triangular window up-front.

Her breakfast laid untouched on her bed. She didn´t feel like eating after waking up for the umpteenth time with a nightmare tormenting her head.

She looked out the window, kneeling on the cushioned bench in front of it.

It was a beautiful spring morning, the warm sun almost reaching its peak, the cerulean sea waters gently nipping ships and docks, the citizens bustling with their daily activities in their usual morning rush…

She was thankful she wouldn´t have any visits today: her lessons with a pair of carefully selected teachers were limited to two days a week – and with her intelligence and free time she self-taught herself most subjects-, her parents would be out of the castle the next few days, the servants weren´t allowed to enter her room and had orders to not approach it unless necessary or told otherwise, and Anna… Elsa wouldn´t ever let her in.

She closed in the distance between her and the window, willing to concentrate solely on the outside view instead of more depressing matters. However, she unconsciously kept her gloved hands away from the window's sill and firmly on her lap, attempting to avoid repeating the past event of freezing it and losing control. She now had her gloves on but still… She could never be completely at ease.

Elsa proceeded with her very limited sightseeing

At least until something closer to the castle than stone roads, houses or boats caught her attention: two siblings. Even from that distance, where a person was smaller than her little finger, they seemed to share resemblances, starting with both having light-brown hair.

They were running on the medium sized bridge leading to the castle. It was rare seeing people on it since there was no point approaching a place you're not allowed to enter.

She felt a pang of guilt but ignored it.

The bigger sibling, a boy about a couple of years older than her, was playfully chasing a little girl that would be a few years younger than Anna.

The boy caught the small girl and tickled her. Her laugh reached all the way up to Elsa's ears. Then she escaped her brother's bear hug and the hunt started all over again.

Watching the brother and sister running and playing around made a sense of longing and even envy grow in her.

As she kept looking, the pair of unknown siblings morphed into her and Anna, joyful and carefree as they had been before but as old as they were now.

She smiled slightly.

Right now, Elsa and Anna were the two siblings laughing and running in such a blissful moment.

She let herself be lulled by that illusion.

But then they disappeared behind the castle's gate and Elsa's fantasy broke apart. It was like waking from a trance and she was quite startled at the pair's sudden absence.

Even though she had a good view of the whole bridge, its edge was covered by the tall gate, making it impossible for her to see anything that was too close to it. So Elsa was left to wonder what was happening and why would they approach the gate in the first place… Admiring the big structure of the palace by getting the closer possible? Messing with the sentinels? Probably the second one…

And in fact, a few seconds later, they appeared in her field of vision being chased away by one of the castle's guards, probably the gatekeeper.

The guard gestured the siblings to not approach again in simple and demanding movements and then disappeared back to his post.

The older sibling didn´t seem very pleased…

The younger seemed eager to leave and Elsa could see even from her high perspective that she was urging her brother for both of them to get away from there.

The brother made no move to leave, remaining frozen in the spot and quiet, a huge contrast with his energetic and overactive self from moments before.

Then, he did something that Elsa didn´t see coming: he looked up. Right at her.

And she saw his, tiny due to the distance but distinguishable, face for the first time.

It was awfully familiar, which was very strange. Elsa hadn´t been out of the castle in years, and even when she had, she didn´t remember befriending anyone besides a few girls that lived in town…

Then it hit her.

That trip.

She had made so many friends then, travelled so much in such a short time…

And there was this one village that was especially memorable for some reason. Vague and fuzzy memories of tree climbing, baby cries, laughs, orange leaves, smirks, feelings of annoyance and utter happiness, forests, yelling, delicious tea, wooden houses and running passed before her eyes in a flash.

'_Wanna play?'_

'_Chill out, Elsa'_

'_Promise, worrywart'_

'_What? I like this stuff!'_

She looked more intently at him, eyes wide.

That messy light-brown hair with those unique locks, those clear brown eyes... Taller, face less round and more oval, stronger jaw and not smirking at the moment, but there was no doubt…

_Jack…_

She went suddenly forward, almost banging her head in the glass, and gripped tightly the window's sill, previous concerns forgotten, unwavering excited gaze on the teenage boy some distance bellow.

Weirdly, happiness and hope started growing in her chest, waken with the buried memories of that day in her childhood. She remembered everything, she remembered how mischievous he was, she remembered how much fun she and Anna had thanks to him, she remembered the other few kids she met, she remembered the horrible tricks Jack pulled at them, that she forgave and forgot too quickly, she remembered their first meeting, she remembered all the games they played, his smirks and grins, she remembered Jack's mother and baby Emma… Oh, for Arendelle's sake... was that her? The little girl next to him? But she was just… she grew so much!

Elsa's mind was like a huge hurricane, opposite emotions and thoughts coming to her out of the blue, confusing and spinning uncontrollably inside of her.

And for some reason, she felt so ecstatic. She felt like bursting the window open and call out to Jack, her childhood friend. And they would play and laugh like they had once in an autumn afternoon.

And then Jack moved.

A step back.

_N-No…_

Elsa stared wide eyed, her elated feelings gone like a small flame whisked out of existence by a strong gush of wind.

She held her breath.

He was looking at her, his eyesight was on her…

Jack kept looking, but no expression of recognition lighted his observant and thoughtful features.

A moment passed.

And he shifted his gaze to her right, wandering through her as if…

_He didn´t see me… He hasn´t seen me since the beginning…_

Elsa gripped the window's sill to the point her knuckles become white.

Then Jack lowered his head and turned around, joining his sister who was a few steps behind him.

Elsa felt her eyes began to water.

_No… Jack… Don´t leave…_

He walked away

Something seemed to break inside Elsa in that instant, it was like the weight of reality had come to crash down on her shoulders. A weight that actually already existed but her previously numb back failed to completely acknowledge.

Elsa had never felt so alone.

Something she couldn´t hold in burst out of her.

She jumped back, falling from the bench and landing on her bottom.

Her breath came out uneven as she heard the unforgettable sound of expanding ice.

Even as she looked up, ice spread from the window to the walls and floor. The window's area where she had been was frozen solid with thick ice and the rest of the glass was covered with layers of it that turned outside objects into blurs.

Looking at her hands she saw her white gloves unharmed but covered with small thin shards of ice here and there.

_- _No_ –_ she mouthed, pure fear enveloping her.

This was the first time the gloves hadn´t worked. That they hadn´t been enough.

Elsa backed away until her back met the solid door of her bedroom. She hugged her knees feeling more terrified and lonely than ever.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm down herself by repeating the mantra her father had taught her… But all she could think of was Jack's retreating back.

That's right… Childhood was no more.

* * *

**Note: **If there is something that you don´t understand, write me. I have put a lot of thought into this and probably will be able to explain anything that you may be confused about

Thanks for the reviews

Decided to answer the reviews of those who don´t have an account, here.

Shimmer Shine: Isn´t he? I'm glad you love it and don´t worry I'll finish this story and go over 10 chapters. :)

Anonymous Eskimo: (First review): Thank you. I will. :) (Second review): I'm glad you like it. I update once a week, maybe sooner sometimes but in general that´s it. :)


	7. VI: Overland Siblings in Town

_A few years later, she spotted him from a distance, easily recognizing his face. The handsome young lad on his way of becoming a man was still the playful and mischievous boy she had first met. He was so relaxed, so... unchangeable, so carefree, so naive, so free! Looking at him, she couldn´t believe he´d ever grow up. She wished she hadn´t already. At least not that soon._

* * *

Jack walked away, his usual ever present smile gone from his face.

He and his family had arrived at the capital the day before in the late hours.

It had taken a whole day, from dawn to twilight, to go the distance between Burgess and the town, and upon arriving they had been too tired to explore and went straight to the inn, longing for a place to lay and rest until morning. Even Emma, who had slept on her mother's lap in a certain point in time was so KO that Jack had to carry her sack-of-potatoes-style to their room, their luggage braced by his other arm. He was so thankful that the room was on the ground floor! His mother had completely fretted about the amount of weight and how he was moving his sleepy small sister around. It took him all his tolerance to assure and convince her that he could handle the job – there was no way he was letting his gentle mother carry neither the heavy luggage nor the dead weight that Emma was.

They had come to enjoy themselves, visit family friends and also do small business. Plus, every citizen, specially those living in small isolated villages like Burgess, should visit their capital one day: it gave a whole new feeling to words like country and patriotism. People had a different conviction of what meant to belong to something big.

Albeit, this was actually the second time Jack came to capital, though he was too much of a baby to remember anything of his previous visit.

When he first heard of their travel, Jack almost immediately made a list in his mind of what he would be doing there, including who he would visit.

_- We should look around for old man Martin! – he started to say while his mother and sister prepared their lunch – He does most of his business there…_

_- Mr. Nilsen? He may be there indeed – answered his mother._

_- And Martha and Johan? They should have already settled down there._

_- Dear Martha and young Johan? – those two perked her interest more – Tha-No, sweetie, that´s too much – she interrupted herself to instruct Emma – Sure thing. I'd like to see how they´re doing._

_- Who else…? – Jack wondered._

_Then his face lighted up._

_- Anna and Elsa!_

_- Who? – asked his mother in a slightly distracted tone._

_- Those two sisters that came to visit a few years ago. The day I fell and bruised my chin in the hall because of a grumpy guy in uniform. _

_- You're so clumsy, Jack – teased Emma, she wasn´t really paying attention but would never let such opportunity slide._

_- Did you just say something Emma? – asked Jack, an expression of mock confusion on his face._

_Emma grinned before returning to her task._

_- Nope, it was your imagination._

_- Excuse me then – he replied, not even attempting to hide his own smile._

_- Hmm… - began Jack's mother, pausing for a bit and entering in deep thought, seemingly unaware of the siblings' small exchange – The smallest one talked lots and the older one had platinum blonde hair?_

_- Yep, that's them._

_- Weren´t they princesses?_

_This caught Emma's attention._

_- Princesses?_

_- Seriously? – echoed Jack – I didn´t remember that._

_- Jack has princess friends? – continued Emma in awe – I'd like to meet them!_

_Jack beamed._

_- Lets then! They'll probably be the easiest to find. I mean, princesses are pretty important, right? Then everyone must know where they live._

_- And fairytales say princesses live in really big palaces – added Emma enthusiastically, what she was doing forgotten, spreading her arms as she imagined how big could that be. Three times their house? Maybe even ten!_

_Jack nodded, his lips stretching even farther, as his face radiated eagerness and enthusiasm._

_- Those must be easy to spot. It´ll be piece of cake! _

* * *

He hadn´t expected this.

Not just the enormous village to which Burgess would be like a tiny ant on a massive shoe.

Not just the large number of people, so diverse and of so many different ages.

Not just the sea, the blue breath-taking waves that he had loved at first sight and that extended to beyond his sight.

Not just the huge castle that was actually someone's home, and his childhood friends' home at that. It was a surprise, even knowing that they were princesses and such. That size was simply stunning.

No, what had really caught him off guard was something else: the closed gates. Once, he had heard the royal family had always been open and keen to host all kinds of people. Now it was like a quiet and tense closed fortress.

Well, he had been warned: earlier that morning he had met that grumpy guard from all the way back to his childhood days… Sebastian, was it? Not the most enjoyable meeting… He had told him the royal family was no longer the same and for him to not get his hopes up. The fellow didn´t seem too happy, but, judging from the uniform, he still served the monarchs.

Jack tried anyway, honestly not convinced of what the old guy said. Then this annoying fellow appeared and chased him and his sister away even after he tried to explain his reasons.

Jack sighed heavily.

He bet it would have been fun too, entering that tremendously big thing and meeting those two. They also had a lot of catching up to do. And they would have met a more grown up Emma and be older themselves…

- What's wrong with that dude anyway!? – he complained upon remembering once again what had stood on his way, not realizing he had been talking out loud - Since when is it considered trespassing visiting a childhood friend?

- Since that childhood friend is royalty, it seems – answered Emma, rolling her eyes.

Jack snapped out of his thoughts at that.

- Ain't you clever, little miss?

He beamed and couldn´t help but ruffle her hair: she was so cute when acting all witty, specially since she barely reached his waist. He wondered if this was due to his personality rubbing off too much on her since sarcasm was actually more his thing. Emma was really just a sweet girl beneath that attitude. Still, it was hilarious seeing his little sister acting like him without even realizing.

She yelped and slipped sideways out of his touch.

- Stop, Jack! – she said turning to him as she soothed her hair back to how it was – I don´t wanna my hair to become as messy as yours! – then she turned her back on him, arms crossed more pretending to be upset than actually feeling that way.

He lightly touched his locks.

- Heh… It has always been like this. Mom, Bea, Lizzy and Martha have said they like ít. Stina likes to play with it when I pick her up. Tom once said it was kind of cool – he stopped on his tracks and looked around – Hmm, by the way, Em… Where are we going?

She huffed and turned to him, the stubborn act still on.

- Going to Auntie Martha's place, of course! Geez Jack, sometimes you´re such an airhead!

_Now acting like mom, are we? _– he though stifling a laugh.

Emma, though, saw in his eyes that he was mocking her.

So, she did the most mature thing that crossed her mind.

She sticked her tongue out at him and then stomped away.

Jack smirked.

- What was that? – he asked, suddenly grabbing Emma from behind and lifting her in the air.

Emma twisted her body to free herself from her brother's grip and protested, attempting to appear annoyed, but her giggles gave her away.

- Stop, Jack! – she squealed and laughed as he spun her around.

Jack chuckled along and after awhile placed her on his shoulders.

Emma crossed her arms on top of his head and rested her chin on them.

They quieted down and Jack walked silently for a bit, both simply enjoying each other's presence while entering in deep thought.

At first, Jack kept wondering about the mysterious royal family but ended up deciding to leave the problem on hold since he couldn´t do a thing about that for now. So he simply walked through the unusual stone roads, concentrated on trying to find the right way while eyeing curiously the whole village in general.

Emma's mind wandered in more distant and vague thoughts, not entirely 'out of range' but also barely acknowledging what was happening around her. In a certain point in time, however, she remembered hearing a little boy somewhere asking to some other person if she or he could take him 'like the guy with the messy hair' was doing with 'that little girl'. Upon hearing the equally hazy answer of 'No way', she couldn´t help but smirk and think something along the lines 'That's right, my brother is the most awesome of all'. Emma felt very warm and proud inside and hugged her brother´s head without realizing, which lead to him commenting he couldn´t see a thing with her arms like that and loosening her grip when she didn´t answer.

Then her mind returned to thinking about her brother's princess friends and wondered how they were like. The information she managed to get from Jack was close to none and now her chances of meeting them in person had considerably dropped. She pouted. There seemed to be no way to satisfy her curiosity unless... And before Emma herself took notice, she started fantasizing what it would be like to live in a castle and have a magical fairytale like life.

Then, Emma opened her eyes, which she didn´t remember closing.

- I wish I was a princess too – she whispered dreamily, absent-mindedly toying with Jack's hair.

Her brother woke from his marveling sightseeing and slightly turned his head to her.

- Is that so? – Jack looked up to her round face above his – Well, you're my little princess – he nipped at her nose – No matter crown or castle.

She half-smiled.

- I wished I had those though – insisted Emma, tugging at his shirt to let him know she wanted to come down.

- Yes? Let´s see what we can do about that… - he started to say, as he kneeled to allow her to hop off - Hmm… Marry a prince? I bet you could snatch one when you're all grown up and pretty! I don´t know if I'd want a prince for you though… They sound spoiled and useless, never really having to work for anything in their lives.

- Really? I heard they are actually pretty brave. And good-looking – said Emma, trying to picture her handsome prince in her head.

- Alright, but he´ll have to be very kind too. And strong. And fun – demanded Jack, standing up again.

Emma's eyes widened in realization. She gave him a tender smile, her eyes bright and loving.

- Then he'll have to be just like you, Jack!

He looked stunned at her and then let out a hearty laugh.

- Yeah, I'd definitely approve that!

Emma beamed and skipped ahead, suddenly all energetic, humming a melody provided by her vivid imagination.

_See, you're just a sweet little girl that will grow up to be a sweet little lady._

Jack smiled.

_Well, grown up or not I'll always protect you, little sis._

Still radiating happiness, Emma suddenly turned around and added:

- Well, like you Jack but minus the messy hair.

Then she proceeded with her little tune and light dancer-like steps.

* * *

**Note: **Thanks for the reviews

Anonymous Eskimo: Indeed. It took me a little more time than I was expecting but hope you like this chapter. I update weekly, sometimes sooner, never or very rarely later. Thank you for reading and reviewing :)

Guest: Thank you. I don´t know exactly how much time is 'soon' but I try hard to keep a week's time as deadline. I'll try too update sooner than this but make no promises - I like to write with quality after all. Thank you for the review and please keep reading :)


	8. VII: Growth, Duty and Travelling

Elsa used the nearest tree to support herself as her legs gave away under her shaking figure.

She confirmed for the umpteenth time that no one had followed her and then that there was nobody in the vicinities. She didn´t wish to be spotted much less watched.

She shifted her kneeling position to a sitting one against the tree's trunk, not bothering with the ground of earth, full of dirty leaves and partly covered with snow, that was directly beneath her delicate blue dress.

She couldn´t believe it.

She couldn´t believe she was out of her room, out of the castle, far from the capital in a journey through the countryside.

It was terrifying.

The heir princess felt that ticklish feeling, that overwhelming energy that slightly numbed her fingers and palms, the icy beast inside her trying to burst open the door of its cage.

She cooped her hands and brought them closer, her knees covering them from the world. Or perhaps shielding the world from them: the gates through which that beast was able to reach this realm and harm anyone it found near.

_Conceal, don´t feel, don´t let it show_ – she repeated ceaselessly.

Then, before her closed eyes, a memory played.

* * *

_Elsa was seated on her bed, comfortably laying against a set of pillows, wearing a purplish blue dress and having a book in hand._

_Then someone knocked at her white door with simple blue decorative shapes._

_For a moment she thought Anna had returned to her old days and, before she could suppress it, a feeling of hope and elation enveloped her heart. But then it was replaced with disappointment when she realized the knock was strict and sturdy and not the soft melodious one Anna used until a couple of years ago. _

I should know better _– the princess reprehended herself._

_Elsa immediately guessed who it was and her suspects were proved right when a deep fatherly voice was heard from the other side:_

_- May I come in, darling? – asked King Agdar._

_Elsa was surprised. It had become rare for even her parents to come visit, at least not without prior notice. Not that she disliked it. Actually she counted the days every time they were out of the castle, yearning their parental presence and loving gaze. But then, she also felt more comfortable that they kept their distance... Such mixed feelings._

_- Yes, father, you may… - Elsa closed the book she had been reading and shifted her legs to the side of the bed._

_The door was open slowly but steadily and her father stepped in._

_For a moment she expected to see her mother entering right after, but it didn´t happen and her father simply closed the door behind him. _

_She internally slapped herself for getting her hopes up once again. Her mother came very rarely indeed, even more than her father, but that was due to her own request. Queen Idun was too much prone to the touch and Elsa couldn´t allow anyone to come too near her. Not even her mother._

_She cast those sad thoughts aside and got up to receive her father._

_- Good morning, Elsa – he greeted with a small warm smile_

_Elsa lightly bowed._

_- Good morning, father._

_The king gestured to a small table some distance away. She answered with a nod and moved her hand in a delicate inviting way. _

_- I've come to communicate something important – the ruler started, straight to the point as always, as both walked across the room in the direction of the small table – We are going on a tour._

_Elsa's eyes widened a bit at this, but other than that she remained expressionless. Her parents travelling was nothing unusual, even if it wasn´t as often as that. Her minimal surprised reaction came from the fact they had just recently arrived from one of their trips._

_- All of us are – her father continued, sitting on the closest chair, and upon the puzzled look on Elsa's face he clarified – Our whole family._

_Elsa choked, her still slightly sleepy eyes shot up and she remained petrified on her feet._

_An eerie silence settled in the big room bathed by the light of late afternoon while Elsa digested the news._

_- W-What? – she finally let out in a weak voice, flabbergasted._

_King Agdar sent her a serious look_

_- Please sit, Elsa_

_The princess did as told, coming unnoticed to her that their roles of host and guest seemed to have somehow reversed._

_- Father – Elsa started, recovering a bit from the shock but it was clear in her eyes she felt scared – I do not think I should come… it's too dangerous… Someone would get hurt – she fidgeted in her chair, her anxiety obvious._

_She couldn´t quite believe that her father really meant it._

_The king gestured with his left hand in a calming, reassuring way._

_- Please listen carefully, my dear._

_Elsa regained as much of her composure as possible and limited herself to paying attention._

_- Ten years ago, our people were really surprised when the gates were closed without any clear explanation. They have gotten used to it, yes. They have lived, and keep living, happy and prosperous lives, yes. They still see their king and queen from time to time, yes. But in the end they still find our situation a bit unsettling. They have not laid eyes on either of the princesses for years, they find it weird the constantly closed windows and the lack of staff, feel a bit betrayed at the thought of not being allowed in… - he sighed heavily – As much as it pains me to say this, the essential trust between royal family and the people has been slowly dented in this last years. The younger ones, specially, feel dubious and unattached. Rumors are circling around, yet to reveal themselves harmful, but still dangerous… _

_Her father paused as if thinking how to better approach what he had to say next._

_- We both know the reasons behind all this… And we know how justifiable and unavoidable it is – she couldn´t help but lower her gaze in guilt – But, Elsa, – she slowly looked up – you're almost a sixteen years old lady. In a few years, you'll be old enough to be their queen. I__t will happen one day, even if it takes a long time. We can´t afford to have the people considering their ruler unreliable. For their sake and for yours as well._

_Elsa nodded slightly, still not understanding the connection between what her father was saying and the announcement he made moments before._

_- We have to show them that we have not changed, that they can trust us._

_Elsa squeezed her hands at that, since it was difficult to remain trustworthy when you´re hiding that big a secret._

_- The people have to see you, Elsa. You and Anna, all of us. They have to see us as a family, as people. Right now both of you are just names for most of them. We have to show them otherwise._

_- H-How? – she asked, her voice trembling and fear tugging at her heart as she started to realize the implications of what her father was saying._

_The king unconsciously spoke more softly, almost as if trying to avoid startling a frighten baby deer. _

_- Do you remember that journey some years ago? Both you and Anna were so young then. We visited every village, no matter how small, that are part of Arendelle. That journey is actually a ritual, a tradition that repeats itself every ten years, and will serve well our purpose to repair and strengthen the faith our people have in us._

_All the villages? Every little village? How many was that? How far was that? How many people? Families? Would she… be surrounded by people? Little children? Little gleeful girls with strawberry–blonde hair asking her to 'do the magic'?! Anna… Travelling right next to Anna for days… Oh, for Arendelle's sake, no… no, no please…_

_Elsa felt panic growing within her._

_- But father, it´s dangerous! I c-can´t! What if I can´t control it? What if I can´t conceal? What if someone gets hurt? What if Anna gets hurt?! And i-if they find out-_

_Her father stood up suddenly, almost making his chair fall down._

_- Elsa!_

_The scared girl snapped out of it and looked up to her father._

_She noticed that his breath was visible and realized the temperature in her room had dropped several degrees._

_- I-I'm sorry – she said standing up and taking a step back._

_King Agdar walked in her direction but she just tottered away in distress._

_She ended up hugging her knees with her back against the nearest wall._

_- Calm down, Elsa - he said in a tranquilizing tone - The gloves are working, see? It just became a little colder._

_She nodded hesitantly, relief slowly replacing fear._

_After several minutes, her father crouched in front of her, however keeping a certain distance._

_- It's fine, Elsa. – he said in a soothing voice - Everything is alright. We won´t ask too much of you. I wouldn´t even suggest this if I didn´t find it necessary… We know you can do it. You´ll just have to greet and talk to some people. We'll give you as much space and time as you need. It will be fine._

_She nodded in understanding._

_She had to confront this challenge. She had to do this for the sake of her kingdom. She couldn´t avoid people forever, not as much as she was used to. In the end she wouldn´t be able to rule from her bedroom, right? Though, even the idea of ruling kind of frightened her. The heir princess knew she probably wouldn´t have to worry about it for several years, but… _

_Elsa shove those thoughts aside. It didn´t matter, she had to do her duty, always, for everyone´s sake. _

Besides, these gloves work_ - she comforted herself._

_She let out a soft sigh as she allowed calmness to engulf her._

_- Very well, father. I also think this is for the best._

_Her father smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes._

* * *

Elsa opened her eyes, her anxiety reduced to nearly nothing, replaced by a calm state she had come to master.

She slowly stood up and dusted off her dress the best she could. Fortunately it turned out to be nearly spotless, though a little dirt and wet could be found here and there because of the snow and leaves she had sat on.

The princess mentally readied herself and then started walking back, her figure steady and regal, dignity emanating of her.

She arrived to the stationed carriages in this poised state of hers, like if she hadn´t left rather suddenly some minutes before.

Elsa took notice of the relieved reactions every person who spotted her shared, which was no wonder since this was actually the fourth time that day she had asked for them to stop and disappeared through the woods.

She felt sorry for worrying them, but couldn´t help it. She needed those minutes of solitude in the forest, away from all of them, with no one near that could be hurt…

Queen Idun approached her:

- Are you alright, Elsa? – she asked, concern evident in her eyes.

The daughter smiled, hiding her anxiety well, though her shoulders remained slightly tense:

- Yes, do not worry, mother.

- There is no need to rush - the queen insisted, more assured with her daughter's reply but far from being at ease - You can take your time with your walk…

She struggled to keep the act.

- Thank you, mother, but I´m well now. I just needed a little time for myself.

The queen sent her a gentle smile, her eyes loving. However, a more observant person would realize other feelings displayed on them. Feelings like sadness, helplessness, understanding, regret and affectionate pride. Unknown to Elsa, her mother could see more than she let on, but knew better than to pry on her reserved child.

They left shortly after Elsa´s arrival, the king and queen on the front car with their youngest daughter, as the elder sister was on the one in the back of their travelling row by herself. While the front carriage was open to direct sun light and fresh air, Elsa's was an enclosed coach with drawn curtains.

Going ahead were a pair of royal guards on their respective brown horses, right after, the carriage that carried the royal couple and the younger princess, then Elsa's coach, followed closely by another pair of mounted guards. Four other guards accompanied them, two of them leading each a carriage and the other two seated in the back of Elsa's.

Elsa sighted, feeling more relaxed inside that 'luxurious moving box', as she thought of it, than out in the open with people all around her. She knew an additional carriage was just extra trouble, but she was also certain she wouldn´t have been able to handle being on the back of a living breathing horse that she could accidently hurt, much less sharing a small carriage with the people she loved most…

Anna had remained distant those last four days. Not that it was very different from the usual, but it had a different impact when there was actually seeing and being seen.

Elsa understood very well... Her little sister was uncomfortable with her, didn´t know how to deal with their situation… feared Elsa´s reaction would she dare to approach... and maybe she even had come to despise the older sister…

Elsa felt her eyes water but quickly took hold of these untamed feelings.

- Where are we heading? – she asked between the curtains and through the glassless window at her left, wishing to deviate her thoughts.

The elder princess was answered by the guard leading the pair of gray horses pulling her carriage:

- We'll be camping in a few hours, Your Highness, and should be arriving the next village tomorrow morning.

Elsa frowned, knowing they were supposed to have been there already. She concluded with regret she was the reason they were so behind schedule. They were late beyond even the delays expected with the early arrival of Winter – taking more time in each village, slippery ground, difficulty in preparing campsite, horses having more tendency to slower their pace… Truthfully, if not for her father's stubbornness and insistence of the urgency of realizing this journey, they would have postponed it a few months.

Fortunately, Winter had yet to arrive in full force, though already showing signs of its presence a little everywhere in the kingdom. It was more pronounced in the interior terrains than near the coast, but even there, most of the time only a thin layer of soft snow covered the ground. Oh, and it was colder. Not much, though, she had heard one of the guards comment. Well, not that it would have bothered her anyway.

- The next one… Which one is it? – she asked, her curiosity minimal but having figured it would be best to know.

- Burgess! – the guard answered above a sudden gust of wind.

* * *

**Note: **Thanks for the reviews

Resuming reason for late update: stuff got in the way. I know it sounds crude just like this but put simply that's how it is. Anyways, I apoligize for the delay. Unfortunately the next one wil also take a few days more than a week time to update due to me having a particularly busy schedule the next week. The good news are that after that I´ll resume to the usual 'deadline' of one week. Plus, this is the biggest chapter I have written

About this Story:

First, I didn´t invent the names of Elsa and Anna's parents, they were given by the creators of Frozen

Second, the gloves. In chapter V: Childhood Isn´t Coming Back, Elsa's gloves didn´t work. No one asked about it, but I figured I really had to explain this one.

So, why would they work in the first place? They are just gloves, pieces of cloth. The answer I came up with is rather obvious: it´s a psychological thing. Have you ever seen the movie Dumbo? The thing about just being able to fly with the magical feather? Well, Elsa believes the gloves allow her to control her powers, to conceal them. And because of this belief she manages to remain calm and confident that nothing will happen as long as she has them, and nothing happens

She lost control because seeing and recognizing Jack and then watch him leaving was too much of a shock. She had an 'emotional outburst'. It impacted her enough to make her momentarily forget she had powers and gloves that acted as a barrier. She forgot, so they didn´t work

In this chapter she has other gloves. The reason is simply that she was kept in the ilusion. She somehow was convinced and convinced herself that these gloves are different and actually work

If you wish for me to go into deeper detail just write me

Third, in case you don´t know, the 'coach' up there means 'a large, horse-drawn, four-wheeled carriage, usually enclosed'

Fourth, This one is about Elsa´s socializing skills.

Based on the movie, we can conclude Elsa remained in her room and had no contact with no one besides her parents, and after they died not even that. But then, that's just what they imply. I mean, i don´t doubt that that would be the case most of the time, but how could she be so relaxed and natural at the ball if she didn´t develope any socializing skills? Plus to a ruler negotiations and meetings are essential, and at least as a future one she had to learn somewhere, sometime. My conclusion is that Elsa had a few experiences outside of her room, even if few. It makes sense that those wouldn´t appear in the movie as it adds drama and it isn´t necessary to the plot

Elsa would, by all means, avoid getting out of her room, at least during a certain time/phase. She would only be convinced at a certain age when she considered the future and recognized that it was the best, when her fear didn´t blind her enough for her to take an irrational attitude

Please bear in mind these are just my own theories and perspective of things in which this story is based, other people can have other equally reasonable points of view

If you have any doubts or things you wish that I explain, write me

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Guest: I don´t want to spoil it for you, but I guess you've realized with this chapter that it's not far from happening... Thank you for the review :)

LOL: That's something incredible to read. I'm glad you like it so much. I hope you´ll keep loving it. Thank you and please keep reading :)

Anonymous Eskimo: You got that right. I'm happy you´re liking it. Thank you for reviewing and reading :)


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